Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the government is "monitoring" the new coronavirus sub-type after a spread in Scotland.
The First Minister announced that 103 cases of the omicron BA.2 sub-type have been confirmed, but the true number is expected to be far higher.
Speaking at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday (February 3), Sturgeon gave an update on the latest Covid figures, as well as information around the new strain.
Monitoring the situation through testing, the FM said there was "currently no grounds for significant concern", but reassured Holyrood that the sub-type will be watched.
READ MORE - Edinburgh man, 51, rushed to hospital after hit and run involving truck
With almost four times as many reported cases than last week, the FM said: "We continue to monitor the BA.2 sub-type of Omicron.
"Last week, I indicated that there were 26 cases of this sub type confirmed in Scotland through genomic sequencing. I can report today that the number of confirmed cases has now risen to 103.
"Encouragingly, there remains no evidence at this stage that the disease caused by the BA.2 subtype is any more severe than that caused by the main Omicron variant.
"Nor does it appear to be any more capable of evading the immunity conferred by vaccination or prior infection.
Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
"However there is evidence, from more than one country now, of a growth advantage for BA.2 compared to the main Omicron variant, which may mean it is more transmissible.
"All in all, however, there are no grounds at this stage for any significant concern about BA.2 - and no reason to change our approach in response to it. We will, though, continue to monitor it carefully."
